Bartholomew Cubbins has the oldest and the plainest hat in the whole Kingdom of Didd, but he likes it—especially because of the feather that always points strait up in the air. It is a pretty ordinary hat until the day that the order, "Hat's off for the King!" is shouted in the streets. Then, every time he obediently takes his hat off another one shows up on his head.
The measures that the King, the executioner, the magicians, the Keeper of the Records, and the Grand Duke Wilfred go to in attempting to bare Bartholomew's head are purely amusing.